Gears of War: Survival
by WoodlandBeef
Summary: How can it be? We had the humans on the brink of extinction! Now we are the mongrels cowering. Nevertheless, we are Locust. To survive is to endure, and we have most certainly survived.
1. I: Escape

**I: Escape**

_My name is Ka'rud. I am…well, was a Theron guard of high standing amongst our ranks in the Horde. For many years now, the humans and we Locust, have been at war. The humans had thought us defeated when they used their weapon of mass destruction upon our home, but they were ever so wrong. We had returned more powerful than ever, and we were driving humanity to the borders of extinction. Unfortunately the same went for our species. The use of the Lightmass bomb was not without repercussions. The humans now suffer from the disease known as Rustlung; while we Locust now must deal with the Lambent, a rapidly spreading Immulsion infection, which has turned brother against brother, and has become ever so troublesome to us.I am no stranger to these monsters. The Lambent took away two of my brethren, one was brutally mutilated, while the other…the other…he had become infected and attempted to kill me. I put him out of his misery, but not without a heavy heart. Little did I know that we would be fighting two fronts; one against the infection, the other against the humans._

* * *

Ka'rud glanced up from the piece of skin-parchment that he was writing on. A torque bow, lancer rifle, and his four-eye-hole helmet rested on the desk of the cold, dimly lit room he was in. The musty smell of a corpse filled the room, but he paid no mind. Matter of fact, he was using the dead body to provide the 'ink' to write with. Little noise was audible, and yet he still could not shake the feeling of something looming out in the dark. Ka'rud exhaled a cloud of steam through his large teeth, and then went back to writing on the skin-parchment.

* * *

_Then it happened…_

_The despicable humans and Lambent seemed to coincide in their assaults four days ago. I was on the lower front trying to stem the spread of the infected. Those under my command fought valiantly despite the enumerable odds. The Lambent had us outnumbered as we fought in the lower ruins leading to the Palace. I remember their faces, yet not so much their names. The battle was hard fought, but still, the filthy infected overwhelmed us. I turned away, my cape flowing after me, and stormed down the hall, when one of my Cyclops comrades ran to me from the battle toting his Lancer._

_"You cannot leave! We must not fail!" he growled at me. I whipped around and grabbed him by the throat._

_"Dare you question my tactics!? Insolent worm!" I hissed at my trooper. I heard a loud roar over the gunfire, which I knew was from the victorious Lambent. I released my minion, and beckoned._

_"Come. We must flee this place. The Lambent are coming, and we cannot allow them to secure this path", I said. He looked at me confused, but soon followed._

_"If we retreat, the filth will easily take this path!" the Cyclops snarled. I pointed at the ceiling and walls. We had placed frag mines throughout the hall, and I intended on using it as a last resort, should we be overwhelmed. It became my new plan. The Cyclops nodded after realizing what my plan was._

_We continued down the hall. The torches cast shadows that danced around the hall. The Cyclops and I traveled in silence towards the platform that we had left our Reavers. Suddenly, a smoke grenade exploded, knocking us over. A Lambent with a Lancer burst from the adjacent corridor, growling. It was another Cyclops, but its once pale skin had become tinted blue from the infection, and Immulsion leaked from cracks in its skin. My teammate roared as he got to his feet. Though my head was still spinning, I could still hear the chainsaw bayonets activate, and the clang of the two weapons clashing in a duel. I drew my torque bow, and as the smoke cleared, I saw the two Cyclops dueling. I watched in horrid astonishment as both Lancers were knocked away, and the two began to throw blows at each other. The memory struck me as I watched the fight…_

_My fellow brother that had fallen to the infection was locked in a duel much the same as now. I charged my torque bow as the two fought. The Lambent threw two heavy blows to my squad mate, which stunned them. My torque continued to charge slowly. The Lambent then buried its palm into the stomach of my comrade. My eyes widened as blood poured out, but a glowing light seemed to pour into the body. They were infecting him!_

_Back then, I screeched and aimed, but a tremor shook my aim and I missed horribly. My Theron brother's red armor began to change to a greenish blue. They turned towards me and charged, but this time my torque did not fail. The arrow pierced my old squad mate, and exploded showering the area in Immulsion infused blood…._

_This time I would not watch that horrid scene again. My torque charged fully as I saw my Cyclops ally becoming infected in the same manner. There was a tremor that shook the entire hall from the grenades going off. I held my breath. Time seemed to slow as I targeted the offending Lambent filth._

_"Suffer!" I shrieked, and let the arrow fly. The arrow pierced through the infected flesh, embedding itself deep into the beast. Then, an explosion. Both of them disappeared into a shower of flesh and blood. The head of my teammate had landed on a ledge. I walked past it, saying a quick rite of passing for him._

* * *

Ka'rud looked up once more. This time there was some cry or growl of some sort that echoed outside over the howling wind. The snowy landscape that he had retreated to was both a haven and a grave. He sat alone. Nothing could save him nor harm him, save for the weather outside, ever so lethal. He lit a small fire in the room, and then resumed writing.

* * *

_Upon reaching the platform, I mounted a Reaver and took flight. I did not glance back. There was no need, I survived alone…again._

_I sped towards the Queen's palace, as I saw small lights raining from the sky all around. The humans were drilling right into our sacred grounds! Somehow a beacon must have been placed. Impossible! Firefights were visible throughout the area. I spurred my Reaver onwards towards the platform behind the Queen's throne room._

_I landed and ran off to see her Majesty. Two Palace Guards barred my entry to the room._

_"What is the meaning of this?" I snarled._

_"What business do you have with her Majesty? She is meeting with General Skorge presently", one replied. Skorge…what a despicable and pitiful excuse for a general. My mouth opened to respond when the doorway began to open. The Queen stood before us, and we all knelt down._

_"You two, let none pass. You", she said pointing at me, "escort me." The Palace Guards stood rigid, I stood dumbfounded._

_"Majesty?" we asked in unison. She held up her hand and briskly walked towards the platform from where I just had come. I chased after her and walked excitedly. Few Locust ever got to personally escort the Queen, as it was such an honor to do so._

_"Your Majesty? You seldom leave the palace. What has happened?" I asked. She shot me an icy look though she took graceful strides towards the Reavers._

_"My child, I would highly recommend that once I leave on a Reaver, you do much the same. Perhaps gather some comrades as well. Our home here…", she said solemnly, "…is no longer ours." I paused in the entryway to the dome as she walked on._

_"I-I-Impossible! How can this be?!" I screeched in fury. Her Majesty slowly turned._

_"The humans have discovered a way to destroy the Hollow. They intend to flood it by sinking Jacinto. I have as many as I can to prevent that from happening. I surmise that whether or not we succeed will dictate our future. Also, there is still the problem of the Lambent…" she trailed off._

_"My Queen! Such cowering shows we are no better than the pitiful ground walkers above us! We are Locust! We-" I was cut off as one of the tendrils of her headdress lashed out and wrapped around my neck, choking me._

_"Silence! Listen to me my child, or else all will be lost. Go. Seek refuge, and if you can, gather any allies. We face imminent extinction lest we endure this onslaught and survive!" her powerful voice echoed._

_The tendril released me as she climbed up onto a Reaver and disappeared from my sight. I sat there for what felt like an eternity as the revelation struck me. We have been trying to exterminate the humans, when now WE face extinction. Ironic actually. Footsteps echoing brought me back. I glanced down the bridge and saw two humans both clad in armor running across, one was bulky and dark skinned, whilst the other had yellowish hair and blue goggles across his forehead._

_I hissed and reached for my torque bow, only to find it was not on my back. I had forgotten I had left it on my Reaver. I cursed as I ran to my Reaver, mounted up, and took off. I reequipped my weapons as my Reaver surged through the immense caverns that the Hollow was comprised of. I headed towards the tunnels that would take me to Jacinto. I vowed to stop the flooding of the Hollow. I would not fail the Queen, wherever she had gone…._

* * *

A loud crash outside of Ka'rud's makeshift safe room immediately had him suiting up. He fastened his typical Theron helmet, and gathered his weaponry. He left the parchment on the desk. After checking the ammo, Ka'rud strode towards the barricaded door. He listened intently for signs of life. He heard voices echo through the hallway.

'Way to be sneaky…" a male's voice said coolly. There was a grunt in response.

'At any rate. Do you honestly think there is anything we can use here?' the same voice said.

"Dunno', but we've been through this blasted mansion three times now. Let's check the study over there. It's the only place left.' replied a second male human.

Ka'rud quickly ducked behind the nearby bookshelves, clenching his torque. Loud thumps came from the doorway, as the barricaded door was being kicked in. A loud crash and the creaking of the old door gave away that the two humans had entered the study. Their footsteps echoed through the room as the two approached the desk.

'Wow. Get a load of this!' the second male exclaimed.

'What the…looks like a bunch of chicken scratch and whatnot.' the other replied.

Ka'rud's anger simmered as the humans dare defile his parchment with their putrid fingers. He quietly extended the torque's bladed ends. He peered from his cover, observing the two humans. They both appeared to be non-soldiers. Neither was clad in armor, though both held shotguns.

'Ugh. This place smells horrible. Poor sap. Must've died here while hiding' the first human said and continued walking around the room. The second was headed towards where Ka'rud had concealed himself.

The Theron held his breath patiently. He could easily have eliminated them from the get go, but Ka'rud decided on keeping his dinner 'intact'. The second human walked to where Ka'rud hid, but was facing the opposite direction. Ka'rud lashed out with the blades of his torque, cutting a nice gash in the neck of the human. No cry escaped his throat, but the clatter from him dropping his Gnasher shotgun caught the other's attention.

Ka'rud slipped around the bookshelf as the other human came over to the limp body. The human bent down to see what happened, as Ka'rud came up behind him.

'Where are you? Show yourself!' cried the human as he stood up. A sharp pain shot through the man's body. Ka'rud had driven the bladed end of his torque through the back of the man's chest. Blood spurted out as Ka'rud jerked the weapon out. The man collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around his maimed, yet still living body. Ka'rud grabbed the man by the back of his head, digging his sharp nails into the man's scalp. He drug the dying human to the fire, and smeared his face in the searing embers. The man screamed loudly and writhed until dead.

Ka'rud then shut the door and repaired his makeshift barricade. He built a larger fire and drug the bodies near to it. He took bits of flesh from the dead humans and placed them on the torque's blades, held them over the fire, roasted the meat, and sat down to a meal.


	2. II: Resurgence

**II: Resurgence**

Ka'rud sat motionless after having finished his meal. The wind howled and beat against the windows of his barricaded 'sanctuary'. The Theron gazed into the flickering flames of the small fire that danced around as if to avoid the bitter, unforgiving cold that seeped in through the cracks of the windows and walls. A deep breath escaped his bloody mouth as the Locust sighed. The fire immersed Ka'rud back into his memories. He then gathered his skin-parchment and the sharpened bone he had been using to write with off the desk and sat down, beginning to write once more…

* * *

_"Make haste! Failure is not an option!" I screeched at my Reaver as we sped through the caverns towards Jacinto, the last bastion of humanity, and the fate of my home in the Hollow. The Reaver snarled and increased its speed. Jacinto was only mere miles away, but time was of the essence, and there was little to spare as it was._

_I held onto my transport tightly, my nails digging into the harness, as the caverns swept by me. A thought crossed my mind should we fail…_

_'How fast would the flood engulf the Hollow? Would there be any safe place below ground? What of her Majesty?'_

_"Noo!" I hissed angrily, "I cannot fail…we cannot fail, or all is lost."_

_Suddenly my Reaver surged upward, and soon the pungent scent of smoke, death, and despair filled my nostrils. Much of the sky was darkened by the clouds of smoke, though what sky was visible was a luminous reddish-orange. Gunfire, explosions, roars, shouts, and the whirring of the humans' King Ravens filled my ears. The battle had already begun. Now it was all or nothing. Victory or death. Extermination or extinction._

_As I spurred my Reaver towards the center of the city, I saw skirmishes everywhere, outside on the ground, in the structures, even in the air. My rage boiled and a thirst for blood made my mouth water._

_'Many will die this day, and we shall be triumphant' I said to myself with vindication._

* * *

Ka'rud paused from his documentation. A sinister chill swept through the room. The Theron's eyes narrowed through his mask as he sat quietly. Glancing around, he then picked a chunk of meat out of the gory carcass beside him. He dipped his writing bone in the meat, soaking it in fresher blood, before taking the chunk and consuming it. Blood oozed from the corners of his maw. Ka'rud grumbled, returning his attention to the parchment.

_

* * *

_

_My site I chose to land at was already in the thick of battle. My Locust comrades had surrounded the platform which held a King Raven that was still grounded. The humans were slowly falling back to the transport as the Horde advanced upon them. I coaxed my Reaver into a dive towards the platform. I hissed in unison with my beast and fired two rockets from the mounted launchers on its back. The rockets surged forward crashing right into the helicopter. The human machine exploded in a plume shrapnel and fire. I smirked._

_The humans that had not been killed by the explosion turned and stared in shock at the wreckage. Using the cover of smoke, I landed my Reaver right where the Raven once stood. The humans were too shocked to even get into cover…fools. The Locust troops cut down through the closest foes. I guided my Reaver, firing the machine gun and rockets, and using the Reaver's massive tentacles to slaughter the remaining humans. I felt a surge of satisfaction as I saw a dark skinned female human not in armor cleaved in two by the tentacle. Her upper half flew upwards and over the edge of the platform. The look of utter shock and horror forever imprinted upon her face._

_The Locust troops, a mix of Drones, Cyclopes, and Grenadiers, hailed me with cries and roars of victory emitted from deep within their throats. I raised my arm high in response to their salute._

_"Brothers! The time to attack is now! For if here we fail…for if here we waver, then the ground walkers shall flood and destroy our home. Does not any one of you seek to return and save our home. Not only will the humans succeed…the infection shall triumph also! We mustn't falter. Go! Go and prevent the humans from sinking their own city!" I shouted hoarsely over the deafening sounds of the war around us. Nevertheless, the troops understood, for they roared and bellowed at the top of their mighty lungs, sending a rally cry that reverberated throughout Jacinto Plateau._

_The other Locust scattered in multiple directions scavenging ammo and looking for more prey. As I dismounted my Reaver, a Bolter ran up to me choking out words._

_'A Brumak has turned on us! I-It has already entered the hollow and is proceeding to destroy everything in its path! A-A Corpser was slain by it trying to defend the doors. We must rally and stop the-' was all the Bolter managed to say before his head exploded before me._

_'Yeah! Nothing but bits' cried the human sniper. I screeched and jumped back onto my Reaver. The beast surged skyward-_

* * *

The rest of the sentence became incomprehensible scribble as severe tremors shook the earth. The books jittered off the shelves, some shelves toppled over, and Ka'rud was shaken violently. Ear splitting sounds of cracking earth and granite shot through the building. As Ka'rud got to his feet, a ferocious howling filled the halls of the structure. Ka'rud recognized it instantly. It was the battle cry of a Grenadier.

_'Impossible! An Emergence Hole? How?'_ thought the Theron.

He headed out of his safe house considering that the door that was shaken from its hinges and the barricade was demolished. Ka'rud held his Lancer firmly while the Torque was snug on his back. He could hear the pounding of heavy boots and low growling coming from further in the structure. The Theron pressed onwards cautiously. One would not desire any unwelcome surprises. Eventually Ka'rud came within yards of the central atrium of the building. He took cover behind one of the columns that lined the hall and peered around the corner.

An enormous gaping hole had replaced the ruined tile floor. Much to Ka'rud's shock, Locust were climbing out of the Emergence Hole. For a brief moment he had a faint glimmer of relief when he saw that they were Locust, but that feeling was quickly replaced by horror. The Locust coming out of the hole were all infected Lambent. They all looked like drowned carcasses. Some of the Lambent crawled on their hands and knees coughing up both blood and water. Ka'rud clenched his Lancer and was eager for a battle, but he quickly decided against it as the numbers of enemies continued to grow.

_'Blast! How did these mongrels survive!? I cannot fight them all. I must find new sanctuary, this area is no longer safe'_ the Locust thought to himself as he slowly crept away from the Lambent. As Ka'rud slipped away, he managed to catch a little bit of the chatter amongst the Lambent.

"The general will be pleased…" one growled.

"Agreed. The Locust have been decimated. Now it is time to deal with the ground walkers" replied another.

Ka'rud pondered as he broke into a run away from the scene. The Lancer was slung onto his back and it clanged against the Torquebow as he dashed down the hall towards an archway leading out into the ruined city. Snow and ice had swept into the doorway giving an ominous feeling to the transition between tomb and frozen wasteland. The Theron just set his foot down the first step when a huge tremor shook the earth and Ka'rud tumbled down the stairs, hissing as the frozen granite touched his pale, scaly skin.

Ka'rud cursed as he pushed himself up. He glanced up the highway that he was kneeling on. A huge shadow loomed in the distance, overshadowed by the buildings illuminated by numerous fires. It's finger-like appendages extended into the air, soon followed by an eerie screech, gunfire, explosions, and battle cries both bestial and human. Ka'rud scrambled to his feet and cursed again as he wiped the blood off his lower lip. He drew his Lancer as a scuttling sound came from the stairs that he had fallen from. A piercing screech filled his ears as he faced a Lambent Wretch that stood a mere twenty feet from him. Ka'rud growled and shot the creature dead. The Wretch collapsed and soon exploded from the Immulsion side effect. The same glowing ooze fled from the corpse and back up the stairs.

_'Argh! They are overtaking this city aren't they? Those putrid filthy creatures!'_ Ka'rud thought angrily before he started to run through the snow away from the battle. He reached to his ammo pouches checking his ammo. He had four Lancer magazines and eight Torque arrows remaining.

* * *

"What I wouldn't give to have a side-arm…preferably a Boltok…" he grumbled to himself. The bitterly frigid wind whipped his cloak and stung at his exposed skin as he fled. Ka'rud had slowed to a trudging pace as the snow on the ground had thickened considerably, as well as the cold wind shortening his breath and icing his lungs. He exhaled a cloud of steam as he drowned out the noises of war going on behind him. The battle was of little interest to him, the Lambent would undoubtedly overwhelm the humans in the area, so his first priority was to get as far away as he possibly could.

For an indefinite amount of time Ka'rud slowly trudged through the snow with nothing but his two weapons accompanying him. The snow crunched under his boots; the wind howled in a rage; the sounds of death followed him from the battle. The Locust sighed, wishing he were back in the safety of his little tomb. At least there he could've been safer and warmer, but the wretched Lambent had to show their filthy selves again. The Queen's words echoed in his mind, '…endure all odds if we are to survive my child. Will you endure this trial? Rally any allies and start a new Hollow. Find a sanctuary and fortify yourselves. We will not give up this war that easily, I assure you…' Ka'rud frowned to himself. The destruction of the Hollow had left him without a home and stranded him out in a frozen wasteland in the middle of winter.

_'Bastard humans. Filthy Lambent. I will destroy all of you. I swear on my life'_ he mused to himself with determination.

Ka'rud continued to walk, when he heard noises coming from the alleyway ahead of him to his right. The Theron took cover behind a bombed out car, and peered at the entrance. Heavy breathing and footsteps echoed from the alleyway. Ka'rud waited patiently as he heard a young human's voice scream.

"Aah! Monster! Get away from me!"

Ka'rud saw a young male child, probably one of the Stranded humans, stumble from the alleyway and try and flee from something that remained unseen to the Locust. The child got farther into the middle of the street, when a growl came from the alley, followed by a gunshot that struck the boy in the back of his knee. The boy cried in pain as he collapsed into the snow. The blood started to spread through the snow and the boy burst into tears.

"I don't want to die! I d-don't w-want to d-die!" he sobbed. Ka'rud remained motionless. He glanced back at the alleyway as the form of a Grenadier wielding a Boltok Pistol emerged from the alleyway, its pale blue skin mirroring that of the snow. It sniffed the air and then chuckled as it took long strides to the wounded child.

"Hah. Feeble 'ooman" the Lambent snorted. Ka'rud watched from behind the car. The boy cried even harder as the Grenadier stomped on his injured leg. The Grenadier sniffed the air again and chuckled once more.

"I smell you pure-blood…" it growled, "…show yourself" The boy continued crying. No response from Ka'rud.

"Hmph…if you won't show yourself, I'll just show what I'm going to do to once I find you" the Lambent growled. With that, he stomped on the boy's injured leg and crushed it under his boot. The boy howled in pain, begging for the Grenadier to spare him. The Grenadier snorted again as it roughly grabbed the boy by one arm and threw him into a nearby car, opposite where Ka'rud hid. The boy attempted to drag himself away, though the blood loss, impact, and his disfigured leg made it nigh impossible to move. The Grenadier laughed once more.

"Show yourself pure blood! I'll make both of your deaths quick if you do!" it snarled in delight as it grabbed the sobbing boy by his messy hair, picked him up by his head, and slammed the boy's face into the hood of the car.

Ka'rud winced at the sound of bone meeting steel. He was not at all bothered by the sight of the boy whose face was now bleeding profusely and his nose broken, gashes all over his bloodied face that had mixed with snow. The Grenadier lifted the boy to eye level and roared in his face. The boy whimpered still, despite the trauma, though he knew his death was imminent. The Grenadier threw him to the ground. It wrenched the child's right arm, planting its boot in his back, and began tugging. The boy cried out in pain, and Ka'rud could only watch, overcome by shock.

The boy's shirt began to rip, soon followed by another cry, and then to the Grenadier's delight, the boy's arm was torn off the body. Blood spilled out from the wound and the boy cried out to just kill him, that the pain was too much. The Lambent laughed and swung the dismembered arm, smacking the child in the head, breaking the boy's neck. Ka'rud was somewhat amused, somewhat disgusted. Torture was a form of Locust interrogation, yes, but never did they resort to something to this extent, unless the victim was to become food. The Grenadier dropped the arm and roared over the wind.

"See pure blood! This you will be just like this human! Only…your death will be much more painful" the Lambent snickered.

Ka'rud drew his Lancer, his rage coming to a boil. The Lambent were purely animals, acting solely on instinct. He stood up from his hiding place, sighted down his rifle at the enemy, and fired the remaining clip into the Lambent. The Grenadier staggered back as the bullets filled its chest cavity and some hit it in the head. The Lambent toppled backwards onto the car dead. The Immulsion ooze fled from the corpse, down the street towards where the battle was raging. Ka'rud walked up to the two dead bodies. He quickly scavenged the Boltok Pistol and ammunition from the Grenadier's waist belt.

Ka'rud stood up and spat on the body of the Lambent, then casting a slight mournful glance at the dead boy. Regardless that humans and Locust had been at war for over fifteen years, Ka'rud never tortured his prey. He simply executed them, though he did kill them in varied methods. Without another glance back, Ka'rud turned and walked away into the bitter wind, continuing on his search for any surviving comrades as well as a safe area to rest and collect his thoughts.


	3. III: Cold Blooded

**III: Cold Blooded**

Ka'rud had been walking for at least two hours after having left his entombing sanctuary. Up to the present moment, he had discovered the Lambent had returned, he killed a Wretch, and then he killed a Lambent Grenadier after having watched it kill a human boy. Though the wind and snow whipped bitterly at the Theron, it did not faze Ka'rud. His body had grown numb to the elements hours ago. The fires throughout the city gave an ominous glow to the structures, casting many dancing shadows all around. Ka'rud continued his trudge through the knee high snow relentlessly. The wind howled once more, swirling around the Locust as it walked, carrying with it, a fresh scent. Ka'rud paused as he caught the scent.

_'Bah. More humans…seems that there is no battle though.'_ he thought to himself. His stomach growled and his body begged for warmth. The Locust knew that he would be unable to survive out in the frigid night, he needed a warm place to rest.

Ka'rud attempted to quicken his pace, following the scent carried by the wind. Within another twenty minutes, the Theron had reached a large structure that must have served as a meeting hall, court house, or some sort of commercial or residential center. There were planters strewn about the courtyard, covered in snow. Oil drums were placed at the top of the large set of stairs, beside two walls of sandbags; a gate or checkpoint no doubt. Two humans; an elderly male and young adult male, stood watch, one with a Hammerburst rifle, the other with a Gnasher shotgun.

Ka'rud ducked behind a car, his silhouette hidden in the dark night. The snowdrift that covered the car provided ample cover, and it shielded some of the bitter wind. He drew the newly acquired Boltok pistol, and poked his head up to confirm his targets again. The two males stood indifferently, staring out into the abyss of night. The older male was pale skinned and had a scraggly looking beard and moustache, a chest plate of armor, and he was smoking a cigar. The younger human had a baseball cap on backwards and wore a hooded sweater with the COG emblem.

Ka'rud grumbled under his breath as he searched for alternate entrances, but much to his dismay, the only way in was up through the checkpoint. Accepting that confrontation with the humans was unavoidable, he began to plot his method of attack to eliminate the two male humans without drawing attention.

_'Using the Torque or Lancer would compromise my position. Seems I am stuck with only this Boltok. Blast…'_ he growled in his mind, _'…how can I get them to separate? Damn. This could prove troublesome'._

Ka'rud slowly crept closer to the stairs while still remaining hidden. Thankfully, the two men were locked in conversation and the shadows played to Ka'rud's advantage, concealing his bulky armored figure. The Theron waited in the shadows, observing his prey. This would prove a difficult task alone; they had numbers and the higher ground. The flames flickered from the oil drums, which also illuminated the entirety of the stairs, so stealth was out of the question. Ka'rud cursed under his breath as snow began to fill the crevasses in his armor, making the Locust feel colder by the second.

_'Augh! If only I there was a distraction or event that would draw one away. This could prove so much easier'_ Ka'rud cursed to himself. Like a prayer being answered, a high pitched scream echoed from inside the structure, which made the two humans jump up and disappear into the building.

"…how…convenient" Ka'rud hissed to himself as he ran up the steps and mantled over the sandbags, hiding behind one of the large columns on the left side, behind the chairs where the two men were sitting. Ka'rud took a deep breath and then crouched down to better conceal himself as the two men came back.

"Damn that woman. Always crying Wretch! Wretch here! Wretch there! Oh no it's another Wretch!" the elderly man growled sarcastically."She's like the boy who cried wolf. One of these days she's gonna' get what's coming to her…" the younger male replied with a chuckle, "…at least the others aren't as uptight and easy to spook. Hell, the little kid is a trooper!" The older man nodded, relighting his cigar and staring out into the night sky.

"You wonder what's goin' on with all them fires out there kiddo'?" he observed.

"Reckon some other camps making messages. Can't imagine any of them Locust survived the flood" the younger man replied, as he kicked his feet up against the sandbags and reclined in the chair with the Hammerburst. Neither human noticed the red figure crawling up to the older man's back. The older man grunted and took a puff of his cigar.

Ka'rud lashed out with his free arm, thrusting it under the old man's right arm and clasping his claw around the man's mouth, jerking the man out of his chair. The younger man jumped out of his chair and raised his Hammerburst, but Ka'rud fired his pistol right into the man's head, piercing through the right eye, brain, and out the back of his cranium. The younger male yelped as his head snapped back from the impact of the bullet. He collapsed to the ground and died quickly , blood pouring from the wound. The older man squirmed in Ka'rud's grip, emitting muffled cries.

"Worthless meat" he hissed at the human, before he gripped the man's head with both of his claws and twisted his neck violently. The bones made a series of sickening cracks and then the man's head rolled around on his shoulders without any spinal support. Ka'rud dropped the dead body and entered the building.

_'Hmph. Pitiful ground walkers…aahh…the warmth is so inviting. Yes! I will rest here tonight…'_ the Theron mused. He slowly crept around the dimly lit entrance lobby. It was a dilapidated ruin much like any other building in the city. It had two hallways branching left and right, a stairwell, and a closed door beside the stairs. A sinister smile began to spread across the Locust's face. He still had some prey to hunt.

* * *

Ka'rud crept further into the lobby, making sure he made little to no noise. He peered down the both hallways; the left one was shortened by the mountain of debris and rubble that had caved in, the right didn't extend much farther, but there were four doorways, two of which were marked 'Restrooms'. As Ka'rud ventured further towards the stairs, he could hear muffled voices coming from within the closed room near the stairs.

"Jenny…you've got to stop crying out for help every time you see a shadow…" a man sighed, "…for goodness sake woman…you're ten year old brother is braver than y-"

"I'm telling you! I saw a Wretch! It was upstairs scampering around! I ran before it could see me damn it Marty…Believe me!" a female replied frightfully. A smaller voice groaned.

"Sis…listen to him. The Locust are gone, we don't have anything to worry about anymore" the smaller voice stated, presumably the child's.

"Benny…" the woman trailed off, before the sounds of conversation were overtaken by sobs and whimpers.

"Listen, Jenny, stay in here with Ben and just get some rest. I'll be right back, I'm going to check up on Carl and Mac. Alright?" the older male stated, trying to sound comforting.

Ka'rud darted around the nearby pillar and pressed himself against it. He peered around the column and watched the door carefully. The scarred wooden door slowly creaked open and a human's head poked out. He had scruffy black hair and the beginnings of a moustache that mimicked his bushy eyebrows. He peered around cautiously before stepping into the atrium of the building. His clothing was in tatters just like every other Stranded human the Locust had ever encountered. Dirt was caked all over him. Ka'rud observed him carefully, sticking to the shadow of his cover. The man walked towards the entrance where Ka'rud had entered, drawing a Lancer off his back. The Theron in response, drew his own Lancer and clenched the handles tightly as he prepared his next move. The sobbing had resumed from within the enclosed room.

The man continued into the entrance hallway looking forward. Ka'rud took the advantage and picked up a rock. He threw it down into the area where the restrooms were, resulting in a series of clicking noises, which reminded him all too well of the Tickers and their scuttling movements. The man snapped to alert status and scanned his surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary. The human took a couple wary steps towards the restrooms, unsure about what made the noise. Ka'rud dashed behind a collapsed pillar and hid behind it, still watching his prey while he switched to the Boltok revolver.

Suddenly, two bloodcurdling screams burst through the shut door, catching both the Theron and the Stranded's attention. The human turned tail and sprinted towards the door. He planted a strong kick by the handle, shattering the lock. The door swung open quickly, revealing a woman screaming for her life as a Wretch tore into her while a little boy scampered around trying to avoid another Wretch. Ka'rud peered around the figure of the man, and his eyes widened as he saw that neither Wretch was Lambent. He charged out from his cover as the human raised a quivering Lancer rifle at the Wretches.

"Help me Marty!" the woman shrieked as the Wretch dug into her abdomen with its razor sharp claws and bit into her exposed shoulder. The boy tripped, and his pursuer pounced on him, clamping its jaws tightly around his throat. Gargled cries trickled from his mouth followed by blood drops, before he stopped moving entirely. The man sighted down his quivering weapon, when a heavy mass slammed him into a wall and proceeded to choke him.

Ka'rud had charged the man from his hiding spot. The Locust grabbed the man with his free claw and pinned him against the wall by his throat with a deadly vice grip. The Lancer clattered to the ground as Ka'rud pressed his face into the Stranded's while pushing the barrel of his Boltok revolver upwards into the human's chin. The man struggled for air and freedom, but to no avail. The pinned woman's cries began to wear out as her lifeblood poured from her wounds. Soon she ceased to writhe and the Wretches tore into their victims' flesh hungrily.

"Perish" Ka'rud hissed angrily. He pulled the trigger. The Boltok kicked back and the high-caliber round tore through the soft flesh and bone of the human's cranium. Blood and brain matter spurted from the large hole in the top of his head, leaving a large spatter against the wall. The dead man's head hung limp before Ka'rud tossed the corpse like a rag doll into the room where the Wretches feasted.

"My brethren…" Ka'rud whispered as he walked casually into the room and sat down on the edge of a bed. The room was filled with food provisions and ammo as well as a few menial items, such as destroyed books and ruined furniture. A small fire crackled in the room.

"…you survived? How? Are their other survivors?" the Theron hissed. The Wretch that was devouring the child's corpse looked up at him blankly. The creatures toothy maw was soaked in blood and flesh. It then scampered near the dead man's body, sniffed it, and then looked at Ka'rud with begging eyes.

"Help yourself…" he growled in response, "…but you must help me in return" The Wretch cocked its head to one side, looked at its brother, back to Ka'rud, and then dug its claws into the corpse.

The creature carved out a large chunk of flesh from the man's corpse with its claws and then carried it in its mouth to Ka'rud, setting it down at his feet. Ka'rud studied the creature curiously and glanced at the offering. The Wretch nudged it closer with its muzzle before backing away. Ka'rud understood what it was expressing.

"I thank you little one" he nodded and took the meat and began to eat it.

The other Wretch growled in satisfaction, while the other began to eat the dead man's flesh. The three Locust ate the meat in silence, save for the squishing of bloody flesh and cracking of bones. Ka'rud finished his piece and licked his claws clean, resuming his watch on the two Wretches. Once they both finished eating, both creatures scampered near Ka'rud and sat obediently, looking at him.

"Again I ask, how did you two survived. Also, do you know of any survivors from our Horde?" the Theron asked through raspy breaths. The two Wretches looked at each other and exchanged growls. Ka'rud observed them. The Wretch that offered him food nodded and then crawled up to Ka'rud. It sniffed at him. The creature then bowed its head, having deemed the larger Locust as an ally. The second Wretch approached and bowed down like its brother. Ka'rud reached out and patted the tops of their small heads.

"Again I ask you little ones, do you know of any surviving brethren?" he questioned.

The two Wretches looked at each other again, exchanged more nods, and then scampered out of the room. One of them peered back into the room and beckoned Ka'rud with its claws. It gave an urgent growl and nodded its head towards the stairs.

"Follow you?" the Theron asked. The Wretch nodded and scampered out of sight. Ka'rud rose from his seat and stepped out of the room, drawing his Lancer. He looked around and saw the two Wretches at the top of the stairs, motioning for him to follow them.

_'Very well little ones. Perhaps you may help me fulfill my duty'_ he thought to himself as he walked up the stone steps. The upper level was darker than the entrance, but their was some faintly glowing candles lining the walls. The Wretches scampered on ahead, occasionally turning and beckoning their larger brother Locust to follow. Ka'rud nodded each time and followed the little creatures as they led him through the large stone building. The Theron prayed they would lead him to surviving Locust allies.

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**A.N.**

I thank you my reviewers, Gamerof1458, Artestry11, and animelover inf; it definitely boosts my confidence that my Locust POV story is interesting to you and some readers.

I hope this chapter was alright. I felt it was a little short and bit vague maybe, but it has been hard for me to get the inspiration and confidence to get working on this story. I've been a little sidetracked here and there with finishing up the school year and trying to balance all of my stories (which I am failing at doing).

Let me know what you all think!


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